Why Is The Men's Ministry Leader Quit Rate So High?

Written by Patrick Morley

Monday, September 27 2004 11:15

One of the top ten problems in men’s discipleship ministry, and a contender for problem #1, is the leader quit rate. There is a strong literature that transformational leadership is the single most important factor to successfully implement and sustain a program.

Why do leaders quit, and what is the effect? Man in the Mirror has conducted several hundred men’s seminars. Yet, attendance at these events inevitably falls short of the leader’s projections. The sponsoring leaders are unprepared for how tight a grip the world has on men—often a chokehold. Fewer men respond to marketing, fewer men attend, fewer men follow through, fewer men change than “expected.”

It’s a huge problem, because the leaders become discouraged and, after a few rounds of expectations exceeding results, they find another ministry to go after.

Most leaders think men’s discipleship ministry is going to be a no brainer—I know I did. Boy, was I wrong! The problem, however, is not that the gospel isn’t working. The gospel is working just fine. What isn’t working is the expectation—it’s unrealistic.

The expectation of “making disciples” must be juxtaposed against “the principle of the parable of the sower.” In other words, every time we sow seed, some gets snatched by Satan, some withers under persecution, and some gets choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures. But some falls on good soil and produces a crop (see Matthew 13:18-23).

Men’s discipleship is hard work. It isn’t glamorous. It takes a long time. The results come slower than expected. Yet, the fate of the world, the church, families, and marriages depends on the willingness of the best and brightest leaders in the church to not become weary and quit discipling men.

This issue is not, “How do we recruit more leaders?” The issue is, “How can we help the leaders we already have to build a more realistic set of expectations?”

Leaders who stick with it will help change the fate of the world—just at a slower pace than they expected.